DIY TV Gallery Wall

I’m just going to say it- my TV wall was a bore. Which is fine- the main attraction is definitely the TV! But as the rest of my living room has slowly come together, this sad wall felt neglected and bare.

One thing I think is interesting is how TV walls have changed with time. Remember back in the day when there’d be a big box TV and all of the VHS’s would be on display on shelves. Maybe huge speakers? Or when TV’s were hidden in an armoire? Right now, the trend is to make the TV disappear and I am here for it!

p.s. I feel old saying “here for it.” Lol! I used to work with high school kids when I did displays for a furniture company. I would ask them “what do the kids say now a days?” And then they’d try to keep me up to date- I loved it!

Anyway! TV walls! I decided that the remedy to my boring wall was to create a gallery wall around the TV. That way there’ll be a spot for the eye to look besides the TV. Some decoration when none existed.

Also, my TV is the Samsung Frame. It has a setting where when it’s “off” it looks like it has art on it. I have a white frame for it (the company manufactured a few colors). It’s the prettiest TV of all time and I’m sure most people have heard of it. But if not, there’s the 411!

DIY TV Gallery Wall- the prep

For the prep, I drew a sketch of my wall. I got out a measuring tape and looked at what size frame would fit in different areas. I used the 3 standard sizes- 5×7, 8×10, and 11×14. I like varying sizes to create interest. Once I saw what would fit where, I sketched my rough plan so I would know how many pieces of art I’d need. This sketch was NOT to scale, just a good reference.

Once I had my plan, I went out to find the art. I posted my favorite art for under $10 here. Another source for affordable art is Juniper Print Shop. Each piece is around $20 and you can print it in huge sizes! I ended up selecting all of my art there because I wanted a curated, pulled together wall without a ton of work.

frame ordering 

Lastly, I ordered the frames. I used Frame it Easy for this project. It was SO easy! I just went on their site and selected the size I wanted, the frame color, and uploaded the art. Frame it Easy is unique because they’ll print ANY size frame- you can change the size by 1/16th of an inch. So if you have unique sized art, this is a great solution.

For custom frames, I was impressed by the price! I’ve used lots of different companies for this service, but this is the most affordable I’ve found. I thought I’d break down the prices so you can see an idea of cost (though it will vary a bit by the frame size, style, and cover). Note, this includes them printing and framing the art! These sizes are the art size, not the outside frame size.

• 5″x7″- $17.79
• 8″x10″- $25.42
• 11″x14″- $34.83

Such a great price- right?! I got 16 frames for around $400 total. If you want to try out Frame it Easy too, just use code ASHLEY for 10% off your order! Coupon expires 8/1/19.

Frame it Easy is manufactured in the USA so my custom made frames were shipped quickly. The customer service team was super helpful. I had a question on the orientation of one of my frames and they helped me figure it out.

Installation  – step 1

When my frames arrived, I started by unboxing everything. I was super impressed by the packaging on the Frame it Easy frames- minimal but nicely protected. The perfect combination! Plus most of it is recyclable. Yay for being environmentally friendly! 

As I unboxed the frames, I laid them out so I could see what I was working with. I really appreciated that each frame came with a nail for hanging! 

hanging- step 2

Next, I decided to hang the frames 4 at a time. I used the sketch as my guide and laid the 4 frames on the floor first to make sure I liked the combination of frames that’d hang adjacent to each other.

A tape measure was my BFF on this project. The frames aren’t hung exactly symmetrically on each side of the TV, but I still wanted to make sure that when they are symmetrical, that the lines are straight and the frames are centered. You’ll also want a level so you can keep the frames straight as you go (this helps with hanging the art in the right spot).

After laying the art on the floor and consulting the sketch, I’d measure and hang it. I’ve done a million gallery walls in my day, so this works for me.

If that seems overwhelming, I’d suggest tracing the back of the art on paper and then taping the paper onto wall to figure out the configuration. I also like the method where you lay out the art on the floor in the configuration you like. Take a picture and then start hanging from one corner to get the same layout.

step 3

Continue working on 4 frames at a time. I found that to be the least overwhelming way to tackle the project!

As I got to the top, I was tempted to not hang the frames all the way to the ceiling and forgo the top row. But I went with my original vision and hung them. I’m glad I went for it!

p.s. that bump out above the TV is an old chimney from a fireplace that must have been here long ago. One day I might rip it out, but for now I don’t mind the bit of character it adds.

after

Ready to see how it turned out?! Here is the new and improved TV wall in all her glory!!!

art sources- Alice / August / Dab / Dahlia 1 / Dahlia 2 / Dover house / Eleanor / Format 1 / Format 2 / Gosling Island / June / Living Dessert / Painted Dessert / Salt Flats / Shift / Wink (no longer available)

Didn’t the framed art really make this wall?! I thought I’d do a before and after gif to show what a difference the frames made:

I really love how the frames going to the top of the tall ceilings really accentuate that feature in my home.

What do you have on the wall that your TV is on? If you’re wanting to try out a gallery wall by our TV (or any place, really) check out Frame it Easy and use the code ASHLEY for 10% off!

Thank you to Frame it Easy for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

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